Honda's Party Car: A Strange Concept That Didn't Make The Cut
The Japanese have given the world some incredible things, from the first camera phone to rice cookers, emojis, CDs (DVDs, Blu-rays, and VHS, too!), and yes, Godzilla. Automakers likewise lived on the cutting edge, pushing the envelope of what vehicles could be through an array of futuristic concept cars that never went into production but sure made us think about them differently.
Back when we were all partying like it was 1999, the Honda Motor Company unveiled the Fuya-Jo at the last Tokyo Motor Show of the 20th century. Over one and a half million people made their way through the exhibition halls where the theme of that year's show was an "Eye to the future. Changing vehicles for the earth." Many of the concepts showcased had looks that only a mother could love.
Fuya-jo means "Sleepless City" and was designed to transport four "party animals" from one nightclub to the next by literally creating an "entertainment experience" on wheels. That experience consisted of creating a dance floor the size of a bathroom stall equipped with hybrid standing seats and an interior design that fused a DJ mixing table with skater culture. But hey, you can't blame Honda for trying something new.
While the mobile dance hall's cabin was 6.5 feet tall – a moderately tall person in Japan could stand straight — it was less than 5.5 feet wide with a wheelbase of just over 7 feet. The bizarre shape certainly evoked a futuristic "people mover" vibe.
Shreddin' the night away!
The party car's interior was ripped straight out of a dance club. The floor was flat (like a skateboard deck) to make it easier to dance on and made from a non-slip, liquid-resistant material that could be hosed down if things went awry during a joy ride. However, the floor was sunk so low on the chassis that the ground clearance between the bottom of the vehicle and the road would have made it problematic to drive over speed bumps.
Bar-height chairs with short seats and tall backs allowed passengers to stand/lean/sit/dance while the vehicle was in motion. A powerful sound system backed by over a dozen speakers ensconced passengers with thumping tunes. The dashboard quite literally looked like something a DJ would stand at, complete with a steering wheel turntable, a mixer's soundboard, and a small monitor that displayed all the vehicle's vitals.
Honda's press release stated that it was supposed to create "the same kind of experience as riding skateboards or roller blades, or dancing in clubs." The video above shows a live demonstration with several skateboarders zipping around the stage and refers to it as a "Town Board Vehicle" more than once. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Honda installed a rack into the rear hatch to hang skateboards.
The Fuya-jo was popular enough on the dance circuit (we mean the car show circuit) that it remained part of Honda's floor shows through 2002. This party car was indeed both cool and bad."